Evidence is not on the side of plain packaging

Mark Littlewood comments on draft regulations for the plain packaging of tobacco

Commenting on the publication of draft regulations for the plain packaging of tobacco, Mark Littlewood, Director General at the Institute of Economic Affairs, said:

'With tobacco sales rising after plain packaging was introduced in Australia, the public health case for this policy looks increasingly weak. The British government said that it was "minded" to introduce plain packaging on the basis of a deliriously optimistic review of the theoretical evidence, but it can only seriously consider proceeding if it undertakes serious reviews of the impact on intellectual property, counterfeiting, smuggling, tax evasion and trade disputes. These are the pressing issues that have so far been ignored.'

The mission of the Institute of Economic Affairs is to improve understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society by analysing and expounding the role of markets in solving economic and social problems.

The IEA is a registered educational charity and independent of all political parties.